Expansible flexible member for belts and other purposes



e. VOLLET 3,063,058 MBER FOR BELTS AND OTHER PURPOSES Nov. 13, 1962 EXPANSIBLE FLEXIBLE ME 2 sheets -sheei 1 INVENTOR V0fi ef BY Z fM ATTORNEY Filed Oct.

G. VOLLET EXPANSIBLE FLEXIBLE MEMBER FOR BELTS AND OTHER PURPOSES 19, 1960 2 Sheets-$heet 2 Filed 001;.

rpllulnlzlm INVEN TOR. BY George Va/L ez M 7 ATTORNEY nit-e htates Patented Nov. 13, 1962 ICE 3,il3,tiii EXPANSIBLE FLEXIBLE MEMBER FOR BELTS ANI) @IHER PURPOSES George Vollet, 275 Randall St, Freeport, NH. Filed Get. 19, 1969, Ser. No. 63,538 4 Claims. (Ql. 2-338) This invention relates in general to improvements in expansible or extensible, ornamental, flexible bands adapted for use as bracelets for wrist watches and for other purposes such as in waist belts; and this application will be a continuation-in-part of my application Serial No. 792,630, filed February 11, 1959.

Leather straps and expansible metallic bracelet-s for wrist watches are both well known. The known leather straps are not expansible or are dilficult to adjust and to fasten, tend to cause perspiration and wear out quickly. Metallic bracelets are heavy, tend to accumulate perspiration and become unsanitary, are expensive and sometimes irritate the skin of the wearer.

One object of the present invention is to provide an expansible and flexible band which shall comprise a novel and improved construction and combination of an outer extensible and contractible casing or jacket formed of leather or the like, and a resilient or elastic extensible or expansible self-contractible core member, which shall be light in weight, simple, durable, shall not require adjustment, and shall be comfortable to the wearer.

Another object is to provide a flexible expansible band which shall embody a novel and improved construction and combination of an outer casing or jacket such as leather and an inner expansible, self-contractible core, such as a metallic spring, whereby the band shall possess the advantages of both the leather straps and the expansible metallic straps without the disadvantages of either.

A further object is to provide an expansible band for a wrist watch bracelet or for use in a waist belt or other purposes which shall comprise a novel and improved construction and combination of a flexible resiliently longitudinally extensible and self-contractible core member such as a rubber or elastic strap or a metallic spring, and a generally tubular jacket having a wall of flexible, pliable, relatively unstretchable material and in which the core member is located, the wall of the jacket member being transversely slit along at least a portion of its length and the core member being anchored to the jacket at longitudinally spaced portions thereof to provide for closing of the slits by the core under the inherent resiliency of the core and for opening of the slits and the consequent elongation of the jacket and the core when the jacket is subjected to longitudinal tension.

Other objects, advantages, and results of the invention will be brought out by the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of an expansible band embodying the invention, showing the band in contracted condition;

FIGURE 2 is a bottom View of the band shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 showing the band expanded or extended;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view on the plane of the line l4 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a similar view on the plane of the line 5-5 of FIGURE 1;

IGURE 6 is a top plan view of a modified form of a jacket or casing for an expansible band embodying the invention;

FIGURE 7 is a similar View showing the combination of the jacket shown in FIGURE 6 with a resiliently extensible core and coupling elements for attaching the band to a wrist watch or the like, with portions broken away and other portions shown in section;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of the construction shown in FIGURE 7 with portions broken away and other portions shown in section;

FIGURE 9 is a top plan view ofi a waist belt including an expansible portion embodying the invention, showing the expansible portion in contracted condition;

FIGURE 10 is a view similar to FIGURE 9 showing the expansible portion expanded or extended and with the end portions of the belt broken away or omitted; and

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view on the plane of the line 11-1-1 of FIG- URE 9.

Specifically describing the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGURES l to 5 inclusive, the reference character A designates the jacket or casing of the expansible band which is formed of relatively unstretchable moisture resistant, flexible, and pliable material, for example, leather. In the present instance, the jacket is shown as formed of one piece or strip of leather 1 folded longitudinally to provide two spaced and parallel folds 2 that provide the longitudinal edges of the band, the marginal portions of the strip being chamfered and adhesively secured together in overlying abutting relation as indicated at 3 so that the casing is hollow 0r tubular as best shown in FIGURES l and 4.

The resiliently expansible and self-c-ontractible core member is designated B and is enclosed within the jacket with its end portions fixedly secured to the jacket as by stitches t or other suitable fastening means or elements. As shown, this core comprises an elongated piece or strip of elastic material such as rubber, or preferably a combination of rubber filaments 5 and fabric 6, such as is commonly used in garments, girdles, arm bands and the like.

The jacket is made extensible by forming therein a plurality of groups of slits that penetrate the wall of the jacket along at least a portion of the length thereof between the points of attachment of the core to the jacket, each group including a plurality of elongated slits offset girthwise and lengthwise of the jacket from the slits of the next adjacent group, so that the resiliently and longitudinally extensible core under its inherent tension nor mally closes said slits and stretches to permit opening of the slits and consequent resilient elongation of the jacket and the core when the jacket is subjected to longitudinal tension applied at spaced points longitudinally of the extensible portion of the jacket.

More particularly describing the jacket, the jacket comprises opposite walls 7 and 8 forming the upper and lower surfaces of the band, said opposite walls being joined at their edges by the fold portions 2. There are shown at least two groups of slits designated 9 and 10, respectively, extending in a direction generally transverse to the length of the jacket or girthwise thereof, each of said groups of slits including a plurality of slits spaced longitudinally of the jacket, the slits of one group being offset from the slits of the other group in a direction generally transverse to the length of the jacket and also being disposed in staggered relation lengthwise of the jacket to the slits of the other group. A third group of slits It extends generally girthwise of the jacket with the slits spaced longitudinally of the jacket and disposed in staggered relation lengthwise of the jacket to the group of slits 10 so that the slits of the three groups are disposed in staggered relation girthwise of the jacket. The first group of slits 9 is formed in one side edge of the wall of the jacket, the second group of slits is formed intermediate the opposite side edges of the wall and the third group of slits is formed in the opposite side edge of the wall as best shown in FIGURES l and 2. There 3 is a fourth group of slits 12 formed in the jacket wall opposite the slits 10.

Also, the slits 9 and 11 extend girthwise inwardly of the side edges of the band farther than the ends of the slits and 12, respectively. The slit portion of the jacket is disposed between the points at which the core is anchored to the jacket by the stitches or the like 4, and said slit portion of the jacket and the portion of the core member directly adjacent thereto are free to move longitudinally with respect to each other. The core member is anchored to the jacket so that the inherent resiliency of the core member will normally exert tension between the points .of anchoring of the core member to the jacket so as to normally close or contract the slits as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, and when tension is applied to the jacket tending to elongate it or stretch it, the core resiliently yields to permit opening or spreading of the slits and thereby elongate the band, as shown in FIGURE 3.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the band will be provided with suitable means for connecting it to parts with which it is to be associated; for example, when the band is to be used as a wrist watch band or bracelet, suitable coupling elements 13- will be secured to the ends of the jacket to receive pins or pivot members that are normally found on wrist watches, thereby to connect the band to a wrist watch.

It will also be understood that instead of simple straight slits as shown in FIGURES l and 2, there might be formed slots or elongated apertures as shown in FIG. URE 6 where the slots or apertures 14 correspond to the slits 9 of FIGURE 1 and the slots or elongated apertures 15 correspond to the slits 10 of FIGURE 1.

Also the casing or jacket may be formed of two or more pieces of material. For example, as shown in FIGURES 6 through 8, the jacket may include two identical strips 16 and 17 of leather or the like that are secured together along their longitudinal edges by suitable means such as adhesive or stitches 16a schematical- 1y shown.

Also, instead of the rubber or elastic strap hereinbefore described, the core member may comprise a spring as shown in FIGURES 7 and 8. The spring 18 may be formed of suitable resilient material such as spring steel, preferably shaped in the form of a flat ribbon which is wound to provide an elongated helix to produce a relatively thin, flat coiled spring. Each end of the spring is connected to a coupling element D that is shown as formed of sheet metal and having a main portion 19 returned or rolled to form an eye to receive a wrist watch pin or the like. The main portion has a tongue or extension 20 projecting into the jacket and formed with a perforation 21 in which one end of the spring 18 is hooked. The end portions of one of the strips 16 and 17 forming the jacket is preferably wrapped around the portion 19 of the coupling element and secured thereto as by rivets or stitches 22. Desirably the strips 16 and 17 have lining layers 23.

In FIGURES 9 to 11 inclusive the invention is shown as embodied in a waist belt C wherein the body portion of the belt comprises two parallel wall portions 24 and 25 corresponding to the wall portions 7 and 8 and said wall portions are slitted intermediate the length of the belt with a plurality of slits generally designated 27 and which may be of the same form and arrangement as the slits shown in FIGURES l and [2. Between the two walls of the belt and within the slit portion thereof is a resilient extensible core or elastic 26 which has its ends connected to the walls 24 and 25 as by lines of stitches 28 at opposite ends of the slit portion. One end of the belt has a buckle 29 connected thereto while the other end has perforations 30 to cooperate with the tongue of the buckle as usual.

In the forms of the invention illustrated, it will be noted that the slits of each group are equidistantly spaced and the slits of one group areequidistantly.

spaced from the slits of adjacent groups; and four groups of slits are illustrated. However, the number and arrangement of the slits may vary as may also the shapes of the slits. When the band is elongated or stretched, the opening of the slits or spreading of the walls of the jacket at the slits produces an ornamental pierced or lattice-like structure and the ornamental effect may be varied by varying the shapes of the slits or apertures and the relative arrangements thereof. When the band is used as a wrist watch, it will be understood that the watch will be applied to the wrist in known manner by expanding or stretching the band until it is large enough to pass over the hand, the elongation of the band being permitted by the opening of the slits or apertures. As the watch assumes its correct position upon the wrist, the tension on the band is relaxed, whereupon the resilient seif-contractible core member 6 or 18 will contract the band, thus at least partially closing the slits or apertures and causing the band to snugly encircle the wrist of the wearer of the watch.

While the now preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it should be understood that it is primarily for the purpose of explaining the principles of the invention and that the details of construction of the expansible band can be modified and changed within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A flexible expansible and self-contractible member comprising a flattened tubular sheath of flexible, nonmetallic solid sheet material, a resilient core member disposed wholly within the sheath and anchored to said sheath at longitudinally spaced portions thereof only, the sheath having opposed face and side edge portions, a plurality of uniform spaced-apart elongated transversely extending slits formed through both of said opposed faces of the sheath between said longitudinally spaced portions, each of the slits terminating inwardly of the opposite edges of both faces of the sheath, additional slits each extending from and through the side edge portions on both faces of the sheath and having the rsepective ends thereof terminating between and inwardly of the respective ends of the first-mentioned slits thus providing solid portions of the sheath on both sides of the additional slits between the first-mentioned slits and the additional slits and a solid portion of the sheath also being provided from the end of the first-mentioned slits outwardly toward the respective edge portions of the sheath, and with portions of the sheath on opposite sides of each slit being in substantial engagement with each other when the member is in a retracted condition, all of said slits forming a regular pattern in their respective faces which patterns are opposed and in registry.

2. A flexible expansible and self-contractible member as defined in claim 1, wherein the material of said tubular sheath is leather.

3. A flexible expansiole and self-contractible member as defined in claim 1, wherein the material of said jacket is leather and the core comprises an elastic strip.

4. A flexible expansible and self-contractible member as defined in claim 1, wherein the core comprises a strip of elastic material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 664,002 Reynolds Dec. 18, 1900 1,117,986 Doppenschmitt Nov. 24, 1914 1,119,136 Cohn Dec. 1, 1914 1,607,808 Anthony Nov. 23, 1926 1,666,033 Nittel Apr. 10, 1928 FOREIGN PATENTS 76,126 Switzerland Nov. 1, 1913 248,283 Switzerland Jan. 16, 1948 254,329 Switzerland Dec. 1, 1948 

